Borough, city elections drum up scant interest

The filing deadline for the Kenai Peninsula Borough's Oct. 1 municipal election is Thursday at 4:30 p.m. So far, though, races have drawn mostly incumbents if they've drawn candidates at all.

Only the mayor's race is a contest at this point. Until late last week, it looked to be a three-way affair. But Tim Navarre, president of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, has ended his campaign for mayor, leaving only Rep. Ken Lancaster, of Soldotna, lined up to face incumbent Mayor Dale Bagley, also of Soldotna, who is completing his first term as mayor. Lancaster announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election to the Alaska House.

At the same time he removed his name from the mayor's race, Navarre, filed for re-election to the assembly from the new Assembly District 2, the Kenai District.

As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, no one had filed to run for Assembly District 1, the Kalifornsky District.

Incumbent Pete Sprague, of Soldotna, has filed for the District 4 seat. No one else has filed thus far.

Also alone so far in her campaign for re-election to District 5, the Sterling-Funny River District, is incumbent assembly member Grace Merkes.

The new District 7, or Central District, stretches from Stariski Creek in the south to Kalifornsky Beach Road in the north and east to meet the District 6, the Seward District. Assembly member Paul Fischer is the incumbent.

The seat has drawn one candidate so far, a new face to assembly races, Doug Ruzicka, of Anchor Point.

District 6, meanwhile, is not up for election. Ron Long, of Seward, represents that district.

Assembly member Chris Moss of Homer has filed to run for re-election in Homer's District 8.

Meanwhile, assembly member Milli Martin has signed on to run for re-election in District 9, the newly named South Peninsula District.

Seats 1 and 9 are one-year terms. Seats 4 and 7 are two-year seats, while Seats 2, 5 and 8 are three-year terms. Staggering provides for a rotation of seats in future elections.

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Board of Education has three open seats -- Seats A, B and C, each a three-year term. As of Friday afternoon, two incumbents -- John Nels Anderson, of Soldotna, and Margaret M. Gilman, of Kenai, had filed, as well as Gene Dyson, of Soldotna.

In central peninsula city elections, only three people have filed for vacancies so far, and they're all incumbents. In Kenai, Linda Swarner has filed for re-election to the city council, while in Soldotna, council member Lisa Parker and Mayor Dave Carey also have filed for re-election.

The borough's eight service areas also have lured very few candidates, most none at all.

The Anchor Point Fire and Emergency Service Area has three open seats. Seats A and E are three-year terms and Seat D is a one-year term. No one has filed.

The Bear Creek Fire Service Area also has three seats. Seat A, a two-year term, and Seat E, a three-year term, have no candidates yet. Incumbent Jerry L. Woods, of Seward, has filed for Seat B, a two-year term.

Central Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board has three seats. Seat A, one-year, and Seats B and C, three-years, have drawn no candidates.

The Central Peninsula Emergency Medical Service Area/Central Emergency Service Area has one open seat, Seat E, but it, too, has garnered no candidates.

The same goes for Seat A, a three-year term, and Seat B, a one-year term, on the Kachemak Emergency Service Area.

The Nikiski Fire Service Area's Seat D, a three-year term, shows Sharon M. Brower in the race. She is the incumbent. The three-year Seat E also is open.

The Nikiski Senior Service Area has four open seats. Seats B and C are two-year seats, while Seats D and E are three-year terms. No one has filed.

The North Peninsula Recreation Service Area has just one three-year seat open, Seat E. No one has filed.

South Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board has seven seats open. Seats B and C are one-year seats, Seats G and J are two-year seats, and Seats D, E, and F are three-year seats. No one had filed as of Friday.

Finally, five seats are open on the proposed Anchor Point Port and Harbor Service Area Board, a body that will exist if voters approve a ballot measure. Seat A is a one-year term. Seat B and C are two-year terms, and Seats D and E are three-year terms. Mike O'Meara, who lives off the North Fork Road, has filed for Seat E. Candidates must complete certain election forms and return them to the borough clerk's office by 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15. Candidates may fax copies to the clerk's office, but the original documents must be delivered to the clerk within seven days.

Election packets containing the necessary filing documents have been sent to the cities of Seward and Seldovia, as well as to the borough's Homer annex building on Pioneer Avenue in Homer. Documents may also be picked up at the borough clerk's office at the borough building on North Binkley Street in Soldotna or downloaded from the borough's Web site at www.borough.kenai.ak.us.